


some other time

by Brim



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Cat Ears, Fluff, M/M, nyancifer, refer to date of update
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 15:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18317960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brim/pseuds/Brim
Summary: A completely normal day, except Lucifer has cat ears.





	some other time

    It all began with one man’s boredom and another man’s spite.

“Oh, good morning, Supreme Primarch. I haven’t seen you in a while.” Belial smiled out of courtesy. Lucifer was idling by the balcony early in the morning, watching the sunrise. It had been a slow a day until the deputy head researcher walked up to greet him.

“Belial, what brings you to these parts?” Lucifer turned to face him. Belial huffed a breath of amusement.

“Actually I was looking for you. I was wondering if you would like to join me for tea.”

“Me?”

“Yes, yes. I know you have a very busy schedule, but it’s been a long time since we last chatted, hasn’t it?” It was a white lie, the Supreme Primarch and the deputy head researcher rarely sat down to chat. Whenever they talked it was always about business or official matters. Lack of organization and duties, Lucifer concluded and Belial would always laugh, nodding in agreement.

_“It’s a real pity! I want us to get along like we used to.”_

“So, do you mind joining little old me? I have a new blend I would like you to try.” Belial’s smile was wide enough to show the white of his teeth, but the sharp look in his eyes was more akin to a predator watching its prey.

   Lucifer smiled faintly.

“I would be delighted to.”

…

 

   An hour or so later, they found themselves in Lucilius’ office.

“So, do you mind explaining what happened?” Earlier, Lucilius was in the process of finishing a report in his office when his creations entered uninvited. He gave them an idle look before noticing something very _unusual_ and he looked up again, staring blankly, forgetting about his report altogether _._ Lucilius stopped writing mid-word. He stood up, almost jumping from his seat at the sight of Lucifer with _cat ears_.

“Belial invited me for tea. A few minutes after I drank the beverage, this happened.” Lucifer pointed to his ears. Two, white cat-like ears protruding from his head. His ears pointed up, slightly angled out from the side of his head. Whenever someone talked or a new sound source happened, his ears instinctively swiveled to it in order to identify the origin of the noise.

   Lucilius stood in front of him, giving him a studying look. The round-cushion ottoman Lucifer was seated on was comfortable because there was no backrest to hinder his wings, but because the platform had short legs, he was with the lowest eye-level in the room.

“I believe he said that he wanted me to try a new herbal blend.” Lucifer recalled.

 _Did he now?_ Lucilius’ hands were on the side of Lucifer’s head in order to examine it. He looked for humanoid ears, but _naturally_ there were none. While he was caressing and touching his head, Lucifer’s ears occasionally twitched nervously, assessing the threat danger. He felt the need to pull his head back and get away from the intrusive touch, but he willed himself to stand still while his friend examined him.

   Lucilius released him and took a step back, folding his arms.

“So…?” Lucilius didn’t even turn to Belial, but Lucifer did.

   The stage was given to Belial. The culprit was in the office as well, lounging on the red canapé as if nothing had happened. He sat up and leaned forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

“Today is a special day for the skydwellers. It’s a day where they try to trick each other so I thought I’d try to have a bit of fun with our dear old, Supreme Primarch.” As the Primarch of Cunning, Belial felt honored about the custom – a special day where people could deceive each other and have fun.

   Except that there was no pride in tricking someone who blindly trusts you.

“What was the taste?” Lucilius asked Lucifer. Belial blinked in surprise.

“Cilius, how do you know about its taste? Did you try it?” Belial raised a brow. Lucilius sighed and turned to him, a frown deep on his grimace.

“I haven’t. I know what chemicals I put in it, therefore I know what it tastes like.” Boredom was a mighty opponent, so he did many experiments. The one, which he suspected was the stolen one, was likely one that had to do with his research in the different Skydweller races. Unfortunately, those potions were…

“Oh.” Belial hummed. Lucifer’s ears relaxed back to neutral and he looked up to his friend.

“It tasted bitter and slightly acidic.” He answered and Lucilius pinched the bridge of his noise, closing his eyes. The momentary relief of the blackness behind his eyelids did wonders to calm his vexation.

“First, I’ll treat Lucifer. Then, I’ll think of a punishment.” He explained plainly and dropped his hands by his side. He turned back, going back to his desk to pick up his staff.

“Punishment? Me? For what?” Belial leaned back on the sofa and folded his arms. The grin on his face wasn’t lost, but the nervous chuckle betrayed his disquiet.

“For wasting Lucifer’s time. And mine.”

   Belial sighed. Lucilius turned to Lucifer. Lucifer’s ears perked up and he stood up to follow his friend.

…

 

   Even in his laboratory, he couldn’t find a cure. Lucilius clicked his tongue. Sensing his friend’s frustration, Lucifer walked up to him from the examination table and peeked over his shoulder. His ears perked forward with curiosity. Lucilius was hunched over the kit he was working on, eyes narrow and leaning his forehead on his hand, fingers buried in his hair, ruffling it even more than usual. Lucifer bobbed his head and leaned over him, picking up a tool near his hand.

“I think this might help.” Lucifer suggested and Lucilius turned his head back to him, surprised with the sudden intrusion. He picked up the tool, without saying a word, and got back to work while Lucifer continued looking over his shoulder. Lucilius worked in silence. Occasionally Lucifer pointed towards a tool or picked up something and fiddled with it, adding to the solution on his own. Each time, Lucilius sighed in exasperation or gave him a look, but he never said anything. It was a hassle, yet Lucilius found it oddly endearing.

   When they were done, Lucifer cautiously took a few steps back and Lucilius stood up.

“Drink this.”

   Lucifer took the small vial and drank it. Lucilius leaned back on the table and folded his arms, while Lucifer stood completely still. They waited a minute, then two, but nothing happened.

“Do you feel anything?” Lucilius probed him and Lucifer shook his head.

“Nothing…”

   Lucilius rubbed his eyes and audibly exhaled. Lucifer walked closer to him and smiled.

“It’s alright, my friend. Maybe this is another showcase of evolution’s feats.”

   Lucilius smirked and huffed in amusement. He reached over and scratched the spot between Lucifer’s ears, ruffling his hair. Lucifer closed his eyes and his ears lowered down to the side of his head. Obediently.

   The sentiment was pleasant enough that Lucifer purred. For an entire minute, Lucilius forgot how to breathe.

“I apologize.” Lucifer pulled his head back. Embarrassment faintly dusted his cheeks.

“Don’t be. This is a natural reaction to stimulation that you’ve acquired from your new physiology.”  

   Perhaps to replicate it in order to showcase it, perhaps because of his own desires, Lucilius moved closer and extended his hand again. His fingers touched the side of his face and Lucifer closed his eyes.

   Lucilius continued pampering him. Petting his head, scratching the back of his ears, until Lucifer started purring again. At one point, Lucifer raised his head and Lucilius traced down his cheek, then his jawline and neck, until his fingers snuck to the side of his neck, scratching the back of Lucifer’s scalp.

“My friend…I…” Lucifer placed his hand on Lucilius’s shoulder, but otherwise remained still. Lucilius smiled and moved back to scratching the space between Lucifer’s ears because it seemed like that was where he purred the most. Lucilius’ touch was firm, but gentle. His caresses were calculated to pull out the most pleasant of tiny noises from his creation.

  He was enjoying this more than he should, wasn’t he?

  After a few more moments, Lucilius’s hand retreated and instinctively, Lucifer’s head moved to follow it so the petting could continue. Lucilius huffed in amusement again and Lucifer was brought back to reality.

   Both said nothing about what had just transpired.

“It’ll wear off in a day or two, until then you are staying in my laboratory for observance. You will be temporarily off your duties.” Although the condition didn’t seem to be unstable, Lucilius couldn’t rule out the possibility of things going south and Lucifer experiencing unknown side-effects or worse. Furthermore, the Supreme Primarch’s image was one that was supposed to inspire awe and recalling what happened moments ago, Lucilius couldn’t say that it was an image that would bring the sky's respect.

    _This_  image was reserved only for himself.

“But I—“ _I have somewhere to be._ It the rate things were going, he was going to be late for his meeting with Sandalphon.

“No, buts. Bringing you back to your usual self is a bigger priority than your duties.”

“Yes, I understand.” Lucifer sighed, dejected. He figured that fighting his friends about it would do more harm than good. But… He still had to go meet Sandalphon for their usual gathering for a cup of coffee.

   He had an idea.

“My friend, the High Council will be concerned about my absence, even if it’s for a day.” Lucifer explained. Lucilius put a hand under his chin, considering his words carefully.

“You’re right. They’re going to make this an unnecessary blunter if I don’t talk to them.” Lucilius mumbled under his nose, more to himself than to Lucifer. The Astral’s High Council was so obsessed with order and procedures that even a simple matter like this could crack the cogs in their system and Lucilius would get blamed for it.

“I will go talk to them and you stay here. I’ll be back shortly.” Lucilius left without even reaching out for his staff. It lied still propped up on his work table and in the scuffle from earlier it almost fell. Lucifer secured it in place after his friend left and then waited.

  A few minutes later, Lucifer exited the lab as well.

 

  A few hours later Lucilius was back in his laboratory and the Supreme Primarch was peacefully asleep on the examination table. He was curled up, laying on his side with six wings tucked in close to him and his chest periodically rose and fell in accordance to his steady breathing. Occasionally his ears twitched instinctively whenever Lucilius moved or made a noise, but otherwise Lucifer didn’t stir.

   Lucilius walked to the table, watching over his creation while he slept. It was the perfect image of peace. Unable to contain himself, Lucilius reached out again and scratched the back of his ear. Lucifer mumbled something inaudible and his eyes narrowly cracked open.

“Go back to sleep. You need to rest.”

   Lucifer closed his eyes again, drifting back to dreamland, while Lucilius went back to work.

…

 

    While Lucilius was gone, Lucifer went to Astral Laboratory’s gardens.

 

   That day, Sandalphon was the one preparing coffee. He was released earlier than expected from examinations for unknown reasons so he immediately headed for their little spot in the gardens. He was practically beaming at the opportunity of preparing coffee for Lucifer again, but…

_I just hope I don’t mess it up…_

His heart was torn by doubt and pessimism. A thousand scenarios of things going wrong and Lucifer disliking his coffee played out in his mind. The story had the same actors, but the ending varied from a perfect, happy end to complete disaster. However, the thought of seeing that same faint smile Lucifer always carried whenever they drank coffee persisted in his mind so Sandalphon continued grinding the coffee cautiously. 

 _"This is delicious.”_ Lucifer told him the first time he drank his coffee and very few things made Sandalphon that happy in his short life.

  He took extra care with the filtration. The beans were freshly roasted, not by him unfortunately, but Lucifer’s roast was what they both used whenever it was needed and Sandalphon hadn’t quite worked up the courage to ask him for help with that.

_Maybe when we run out of these…_

  He was done with the coffee just in time for him to felt the divine presence of the Supreme Primarch approach. Lucifer’s wings flapped gently, a few plumes falling to the ground when he landed and Sandalphon smiled, picking up the tray.

  However at the sight of Lucifer with _white cat ears_ , Sandalphon almost dropped the tray in his hands.

_What the…_

“Ah, Sandalphon, I apologize for being late.” Lucifer greeted him. His ears perked forward at the sight of Sandalphon.

“It’s…It’s fine, Lucifer.” Sandalphon mumbled. The fact that he could even address him properly was a pure testament to his ability to stay calm under pressure.

   The Supreme Primarch smiled at him and took a seat by the table.

“I see that today you took the liberty of making coffee. I look forward to your improvement.”

“Ah, yes. I also …look forward to you tasting it.” Sandalphon brought the tray over with shaky hands and it was an entire miracle and a half he didn’t spill any of the coffee when he poured it in their cups. He placed a cup in front of Lucifer and then one in front of his spot and sat down.

  He couldn’t help but stare at them occasionally. Lucifer either didn’t notice or choose not to say anything.  Otherwise things proceeded as they normally did. Lucifer told him that his coffee was delicious and Sandalphon looked down to his cup, feeling his cheeks heating up.

“I still have a lot of learn in order to catch up to you.” He berated himself again. Lucifer’s ears lowered flat against his head, but his face remained neutral.

“You should believe in yourself more.” He commented eventually and Sandalphon blinked, but the idea of asking him what that meant seemed like a million miles away.

 

   It wasn’t until Sandalphon’s cup was empty that he managed to work up the courage to ask him.

“Lucifer…” There were a few times before that when he wanted to ask him about the ears, but every time he felt like there was a lump in his throat.

_Am I overstepping my boundaries?_

Lucifer’s ears twitched in acknowledgement and he looked straight into his red eyes. The bluntness made Sandalphon’s entire being freeze in discontent. Lucifer had been a lot more direct today than he was used to be, so Sandalphon decided to do so as well.

“If you don’t mind me asking me…what happened?"

“There was an…accident. But don’t worry about it.” Lucifer answered dismissively and Sandalphon’s heart sank. He realized that perhaps Lucifer’s forwardness wasn’t about closing the gap between them. Perhaps it was callousness. An ugly amalgamation of feelings swallowed Sandalphon upon that realization and instinctively he gripped the handle of his cup.

“Truth of the matter is that I was quite worried this is a permanent condition, but my friend reassured me that it will be temporarily. I will be back to normal in a few days.” Lucifer’s soothing voice cut straight through Sandalphon’s spiral into his own personal hell. He looked up to the Supreme Primarch and blinked. He quickly tried to compose himself.

“Ah, I see.” Sandalphon nodded slowly. He couldn’t imagine what type of accident would lead to this type of development, but if Lucifer didn’t want to disclose then it was his right to privacy.

   He told himself so in order to comfort himself.

“I hope they don’t bother you.” Lucifer confessed and Sandalphon leaned back, waving his hand in denial.

“Ah, no such thing. It’s just that…it was very surprising to me.” _It was like seeing a whole new side._

“I suppose, it was quite the surprise to me too.” Lucifer’s ears perked forward again and he finished his coffee. Sandalphon chuckled.

  Their arrangement was that whoever server coffee that day, the other person had to clean the table. When they finished up, Lucifer stood up to load the tray but…

“Can I…touch them?” It was a bold request. Sandalphon had been thinking about wanting to touch them since he arrived and it was an internal fight in order to keep his mouth shut. In the end he just blurted it out.

   Lucifer’s eyes widened in momentary surprise. He nodded and then stepped next to him.

“Go ahead.” He knelt in front of him, beside the table and lowered his head. With a shaky hand, Sandalphon reached out until his fingertips brushed against the soft white fur at the base of his ear. It was the gentlest of touches and Sandalphon never touched anything softer in his entire life.

   He put his thumb on the inner part of the ear, and scratched the back of the ear with two fingers. After a few moments, Lucifer started purring and Sandalphon’s brain turned blank white and all thought process ceased.

_This is …too cute._

Was the singular thought he managed to process. He retrieved his hand, afraid that he would lose himself to the moment and do something he shouldn’t.

“I must confess this is quite enjoyable.” Lucifer’s ears twitched and his head remained lowered in front of him.

“Then…can I continue?” Sandalphon skipped a breath, practically gasping out his question.

“Please do.”

  Sandalphon swallowed. He reached out slowly, until his fingertips touched the silky white strands of hair and he moved his fingers closer to the base of the ear, petting him. Unable to control himself, Lucifer gently bumped his head against the touch, encouraging Sandalphon to keep on going.

“They’re so soft…” Sandalphon whispered under his breath. Lucifer lowered his head when Sandalphon’s caressed turned more energetic as he gained more and more courage. They continued this for a while, until Lucifer stopped purring, signaling that he had enough and Sandalphon was done petting him.

   They both stood up to each other. While cleaning, Lucifer’s ears occasionally twitched and Sandalphon had the overwhelming feeling to touch them again.

“Now then, I need to head back. Until tomorrow, Sandalphon.” Lucifer was ready to leave. He had to go back to the laboratory before his friend noticed anything.

“Then, can I …touch them again tomorrow?” Sandalphon asked, unable to contain himself and forgetting courtesy all-together.

   Lucifer smiled gently.

“Assuming they’re still there, I would love to.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! 
> 
> happy april fools! its still april fools in my time zone  
> I wasn't really planning to write anything but my friend Enabled me and here we go,  
> I don't want to confess how many cat videos I looked at,
> 
> the lucifer picking up lucifaa's stuff segment was meant to imitate how having a cat and working at the same time is, but I don't know if that was effective
> 
> nyancifer.


End file.
